Ephesians 4:22-32

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ephesians 4:17-32

The apostle having gone through his exhortation to mutual love, unity, and concord, in the Eph. 2:16; there follows in these an exhortation to Christian purity and holiness of heart and life, and that both more general (Eph. 4:17-24) and in several particular instances, Eph. 4:25-32. This is solemnly introduced: ?This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord; that is, seeing the matter is as above described, seeing you are members of Christ's body and partakers of such gifts, this I urge upon... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Ephesians 4:1-32

With this chapter the second part of the letter begins. In Ephesians 1:1-23 ; Ephesians 2:1-22 ; Ephesians 3:1-21 Paul has dealt with the great and eternal truths of the Christian faith, and with the function of the Church in the plan of God. Now he begins to sketch what each member of the Church must be if the Church is to carry out her part in that plan. Before we begin this chapter, let us again remind ourselves that the central thought of the letter is that Jesus has brought to a... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Ephesians 4:17-24

4:17-24 I say this and I solemnly lay it upon you in the Lord--you must no longer live the kind of life the Gentiles live, for their minds are concerned with empty things; their understandings are darkened; they are strangers from the life God gives, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the petrifying of their hearts. They have come to a stage when they are past feeling, and in their shameless wantonness they have abandoned themselves to every kind of unclean conduct in the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Ephesians 4:25-32

4:25-32 So then strip yourselves of falsehood, and let each of you speak the truth with his neighbour, because we are all members of the same body. Be angry--but be angry in such a way that your anger is not a sin. Do not let the sun set on your wrath, and do not give the devil any opportunity. Let him who was a thief steal no more; rather let him take to hard work, and to producing good with his hands, in order that he may be able to share with the man who is in need. Do not allow any foul... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Ephesians 4:25-32

(iii) Paul goes on to say that the Christian must never let the sun set upon his wrath. Plutarch tells us that the disciples of Pythagoras had a rule of their society, that if, during the day, anger had made them speak insultingly to each other, before the sun set they shook hands and kissed each other and were reconciled. There was a Jewish Rabbi whose prayer it was that he might never go to sleep with any bitter thought against a brother man within his mind. Paul's advice is sound,... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Ephesians 4:25-32

Paul ends this chapter with a list of things which must go from life. (a) There is bitterness (pikria, Greek #4088 ). The Greeks defined this word as long-standing resentment, as the spirit which refuses to be reconciled. So many of us have a way of nursing our wrath to keep it warm, of brooding over the insults and the injuries which we have received. Every Christian might well pray that God would teach him how to forget. (b) There are outbreaks of passion (thumos, Greek #2372 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ephesians 4:22

That ye put off concerning the former conversation, the old man ,.... Which is the corruption of nature; why this is called a man, and an old man; see Gill on Romans 6:6 , the putting him off, is not a removing him from the saints, nor a destroying him in them, nor a changing his nature; for he remains, and remains alive, and is the same old man he ever was, in regenerate persons; but it is a putting him off from his seat, and a putting him down from his government; a showing no regard to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ephesians 4:23

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Or by the Spirit that is in your mind; that is, by the Holy Spirit; who is in the saints, and is the author of renovation in them; and who is the reviver and carrier on, and finisher of that work, and therefore that is called the renewing of the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5 or rather the mind of man, which is a spirit, of a spiritual nature, immaterial and immortal, and is the seat of that renewing work of the Spirit of God; which shows, that the more... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ephesians 4:24

And that ye put on the new man ,.... Which some understand of Jesus Christ, who is truly and really man, and a new or extraordinary one, Jeremiah 31:22 and as such is God's creature, and is made after his image, and which appears in his perfect holiness and righteousness; and the phrase of putting on well agrees with him, Romans 13:14 whose righteousness is a garment, pure and spotless, and which is put on by the hand of faith: though rather by the "new man" is meant, the new nature, the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ephesians 4:25

Wherefore putting away lying ,.... Which is one of the deeds of the old man, and a branch of the former conversation agreeable to him: a lie is a voluntary disagreement of the mind and speech, with a design to deceive; it is to speak that which is false, contrary to truth shining in the mind; and it is spoken knowingly and willingly, and with a design to impose upon others; hence a man may speak what is false, and not be a liar, if he does not know it to be so; and hence parables, fables,... read more

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